Suction cleaner



Nov. 2, 1937. c. H. TAYLOR 2,098,072

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Jan. 2, 1955 INVENTOR Gfiarles 12129 101 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 2, 1937 I UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE SUCTION CLEANER a corporation of Ohio Application January 2, 1935, Serial No. 185

Claims.

The present invention relates to suction cleaners in general and particularly to an odorizer unit in a suction cleaner construction. More specifically the invention comprises a new and 5 novel odorizer unit adapted to form a part of a suction cleaner unit and which includes manually operable valve means which open a volatile element to a stream of air or which seal it therefrom.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved odor-creating means in a suction cleaner. Another object of the invention' is to provide an odorizer unit in which the volatile element is positioned within a mov- 5 ing air stream, valve means being provided to open the volatile element to the air stream or seal it therefrom. Still another object is the provision of an odorizer accessory which is.

other more specific objects will appear upon read-- ing the following specification and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the drawing to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed:

Fig. 1 is a side elevaflm of a modern suction cleaner unit embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged showing of the accessory comprising the present invention connected to the end of the cleaner dusting tool hose;

Fig. 3 is a section upon the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse cross section through the unit showing the manually operable valve, being taken upon the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section through the unit showing the 5 removable vial positioned therein;

Fig. 6 is a section upon the line 66 of Fig. 3; Fig. '7 is a section upon the line 1-1 of Fig. 3. A preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the drawing, and in Fig. 1 in par- 50 ticular, a modern suction cleaner is illustrated. The cleaner nozzle l is connected to the fan chamber 2 through an air passageway 3, which may be formed as a removable element in a manner well known in the art. The fan chamber 5515 provided with an exhaust outlet 4, to which is attached, in the normal operation of the machine in on-the-fioor cleaning, a removable dust bag of an ordinary type. In the use of the present invention, however, the dust bag is removed from the cleaner, and to the exhaust outlet 4 is 5 attached a dusting tool hose 5, at the outer end of which is removably secured the odorlzer unit 6. A motor casing 1 is positioned above the fan chamber 2 and encloses an unshown driving motor of any common type, preferably a universal 10 motor, which drives the suction-creating fan 8 positioned within the chamber 2. The cleaner is supported upon front and rear wheels 9 and Ill and a pivoted handle H is provided by which the operator can exert the necessary force to 15 propel the machine in its operation.

The dusting tool hose 5 is secured to the cleaner exhaust outlet 4 by any suitable means such as a manually operable nut l2 and is formed at its outer end with a channelled metallic seat 20 member I3. Seat member I3 is adapted to repressed detent l5, of a common and well known type, extends through the body I 4, being posi tioned upon the outer surface thereof, and its inner end seats within the channel of the metallic seat l3 where it functions to prevent unin- 5 tentional separation of the unit and the hose. Adjacent the portion of the unit body carrying the detent I5 the body is enlarged in diameter .and there is positioned therein a cylindrical mounting member l6 which is spaced from 40 the body It, except at its points of support, and is secured thereto by screws l1, ll, H. The outer end of suport 16, which is cylindrical in shape, is open while the inner closed end is formed with a reduced collared opening I 8. Within the support l6 and spaced from the collared inner end thereof is a dividing wall l9 which is formed near its center with ports 20, 20 etc., and at a greater radial distance from its center with ports 2|, 2| etc. The plate is formed with arcuate cutout sectors around its periphery so that the chambers which it forms in the mounting member are in fact connected.

Rotatably mounted within the collared opening 18' is-the central hollow body portion of a valve 22 which is formed with a central projecting portion which extends through a central opening in plate l9 and has its edge peened over to prevent separation. The valve is formed as a circular flange adjacent the plate l3 and this portion of the valve contacts the plate and extends outwardly beyond the outer ring of ports 2|, 2| etc. in that member. Valve 22 is rotatable in its seat and is provided with central ports 23, 23 etc. and ports 24, 24 etc. at a greater radial distance from the axis of rotation. The central valve ports 23, 23 etc. extend from the hollow central portion of the valve, which opens toward the inlet or dusting tool hose end of the unit, to the wall I9. The outer ports 24, 24 etc. of the valve extend through the flanged portion of the valve and from .the plate l9 into the cylinder l6. In one rotary position of the valve the central ports 23, 23 etc. and the outer ports 24 mate with the inner ports 20, 29 etc. and the outer ports 2|, 2| etc. respectively, of the stationary plate IS. A

The valve 22 is rotatable between deflnitelimits by a manually operable lever 25, which extends outwardly through a slot 26 in the body l4. The lever carries a closure plate 21 which closes all parts of the slot 26, except that part closed by the lever 25 itself, to prevent passage of air therethrou'gh. -The inner end of lever 25 encircles the central body portion of valve 22 in fixed relationship and is secured thereto by a nut 28 which seats in screw threaded relationship upon the outer screw threaded surface of the valve body.

A volatile-agent-containing vial 29 is positioned within the cylinder 16 in spaced relationship thereto being supported by circumferentially spaced leaf springs 30, 30, 30 which contact its outer surface. The receptacle or vial is formed with an open end which faces the wall or plate I 9, being spaced therefrom by'a ring gasket 3| which is preferably of a resilient material, such as felt or rubber. The vial 29 contains a volatile agent or element which is of any preferred type such as a cake or a liquid saturating a body of wick material. The volatile element or its carrying wick preferably does not extend entirely to the open end of the receptacle 29 but is spaced slightly therefrom, as is clearly'indicated in Figure 3 of the drawing.

Vial 29 is held against outward displacement from the unit by means of a pivoted cap or plate 32, positioned at the open flared end of the body l4 and normally retained in its vial-securing position by means of a manually operable spring latch 33. The inner, face of the plate 32 is provided with spaced inwardly extending springs 34, 34 which contact the outer end of vial 29 to urge it against the sealing gasket 3| at its open end.

In the operation of this preferred form of the invention the closing of the motor switch causes the suction-creating means to operate and air under pressure to be exhausted from the cleaner into the dusting tool hose 5. Clean air is exhausted from the machine and passes through the hose and into the body |4' of the odorizer unit. With the lever 25 pivoted to one of its end positions, that indicated by the word Off in Figure 2, no air passes into contact with the volatile element and all air exhausted passes around the cylinder l6 which functions as the mounting means. With the valve moved to its opposite end position, that marked by the word On in Figure 2, air is forced under pressure through the hollow central body portion of valve 22, through the aligned ports 23, 23 and", 20 of the valve and the plate l9, respectively, and into contact with the volatile element exposed at the mouth of the vial. This air passes over the volatile element and escapes into cylinder l6 through the aligned ports 2| and 24 which are at a greater radial distance from the center of the valve. The odor-bearing air is forced rearwardlypast the plate l9 and down the length of the cylindrical mounting member l6. to join, at the open end of the unit, the air which has passed around the vial-carrying member. All of the air is exhausted from the flared end of the unit at the sides of cap 32 and may be directed to any desired point by pointing the unit in the direction desired.

Upon the volatile agent within the vial becoming exhausted it is only necessary for the operator to pivot the closure plate 32 to permit of the manual removal of the vial and the insertion of a new vial in its place. The presence of the manually controllable valve insures that unintended volatilization of the volatile element will not take place when the unit is not in use.

I claim:

1. In an odorizer unit, a body formed with an inlet adapted to be connected to a source of air flow and with an exhaust outlet, a closed body of volatile element normally closed to atmosphere and air flowing through said body, means to convey a part only of the air flowing through said body into contact with said element, means to convey said air from said element, said means including valve means to open said element to said air or to seal it therefrom.

2. In an accessory for a suction cleaner, 8. hollow body open at its ends, a receptacle for a volatile element having a single open end, means removably seating said receptacle in said body,

valve means to direct a part only of an air stream passing through said body into and from said receptacle or to seal said receptacle completely,

.ing facing the flow of air and dividing said opening into air inlet and air outlet openings, and

single valve means including a manually operable lever extended outwardly through said body to open or close the openings of said receptacle.

4. An odorizer unit for a suction cleaner comprising a hollow body having an inlet and an outlet, said body being adapted to serve as a passageway for an air stream, a container, a volatile element in said container, means to guide air from said inlet into said container and over the surface of said element, means to guide air from said container in the direction of said outlet, and means to open and close said container to both said means. i

5. An odorizer unit for a suction cleaner comprising a hollow cylindrical body having an air, 

